Smart Lighting: Streetlight replacement project will pay for itself

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Municipalities across the globe are fighting to stay up to date with our world’s changing needs and evolving technology. Sometimes these solutions are as small as changing the street lights on your block, or as big as robotic testing on a major bridge.

In Aston Township’s case, they recently made the economical and environmental decision to change their streetlights. The transition to LED streetlights, traffic signals and overall exterior lighting is increasingly popular in energy-conscious municipalities, and for good reason. Aston Township, in Delaware County, PA, looking to save energy and operating costs, decided to join the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission Regional Street Light Procurement Program (DVRPC RSLPP). Participants benefit from reduced product and labor pricing, a common step-by-step program timeline, access to financing if needed, and technical and legal assistance in designing and implementing projects.

Aston has an extensive GIS database that has evolved since the late 1990s. Having this database and maintaining it over the years greatly assisted the township in project implementation. Our team facilitated the work as Township Engineer and assisted in data collection on light locations and ownership. Our experts incorporated the final street light data collected during the project into the GIS database for future use. Our database now hosts an abundance of detailed GIS information including but not limited to GPS locations, wattage, condition, arm length, pole ID, etc. Now, any future work required by the Township pertaining to their street lights will be astronomically more accurate.

At this time, all lights have been replaced with LED and we are coordinating final cost changes through the program. This project will provide immediate and long-term energy and cost savings for the Township.

A total of 798 street lights were replaced within Aston Township.

The initial installation cost was approximately $272,000.

The annual savings for the reduced electric and maintenance costs associated with the LED lights is more than $42,000/year, resulting in a full payback on the initial installation cost at about 7 years.

The LEDs have a lifespan greater than the 7-year payback timeframe, resulting in significant future maintenance costs for the Township.

Michael Schneider, PE, Project Manager, says, “It has been very rewarding working on a project that delivers such great value to our client. This project is an excellent example of how investing in technology can result in significant savings for a community. Utilizing the GIS database was an integral part in identifying and cataloging the Township’s street light infrastructure.”

Streetlight upgrades are just one of the many smart solutions we are introducing to our clients. Learn more about our smart solutions offerings here.